


Strangers in a dream (city)

by verseyourway



Category: GOT7, JJ Project
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Strangers to Lovers, and i have none that's why i'm writing this, idk how this works but i will add tags eventually, jaebeom songwriter, jinyoung has several jobs
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-13
Updated: 2019-08-13
Packaged: 2020-08-20 23:17:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20235997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/verseyourway/pseuds/verseyourway
Summary: #1 songwriter in Korea Defsoul has written hits for many artists. Everyone wants to work with him but lately, it seems like he lacks ideas. That’s when Choi Youngjae wants to work him and he doesn’t want to miss the opportunity, but what can he do if he can’t write a single sentence of a song? His friend Mark suggests him to go on a trip to forget his troubles, and to maybe find some inspiration, or instead, someone who inspires him?





	Strangers in a dream (city)

Stuck. Songwriter Defsoul was stuck.

He was one of the hottest songwriters in Korea, having written and produced amounts of hits that became number one on the charts that gave him several music awards. All the important people within the industry said that he had a gift, therefore everyone wanted to work with him. From break up to falling in love again songs, he could write anything; even if he hadn’t experienced them first-hand. He has had his relationships but he hadn’t been too attached to write about his own personal experience.

Books were his source of inspiration and help. He could always draw upon them if he had trouble writing something down. There was always a book for each situation, which would make his work easier, writing a whole hit in only 5 minutes.

Even if it wasn’t work-related, he was always reading. Books have always been there, even before he could start reading. He always asked his mom to read him a book every night before going to sleep (Puss in boots to be exact but he wouldn’t admit this to anyone because he wanted a cat because of this book) and ever since then, a book could transport him to another world. Back then, his mother loved how he spent his days reading instead of getting addicted to video games but was out of ideas because his son wanted to hear more stories and didn’t want her to reread the same ones. That was when she started to look for folk tales, legends, myths, stories from other countries for his son to be happy.  
His favorite one was a story about a knight who killed a dragon in order to save the princess, and from the blood of the dragon, a bush of the reddest roses grew, from which the knight took one to give it to the princess. How cool was that? He thought when he first heard the story.

But right now, even his favorite stories were nothing. His mind was blank. He couldn’t even write a sentence that made sense. Defsoul was over. He was going to be only Jaebeom from now on.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

It's been months since the last time he wrote something decent. Not even decent, it's been months since the last time he even presented anything. This meeting with his boss was going to end in one way: the end of Defsoul, he was sure of it. Why would he want to have a meeting with him if he wasn't going to fire him after paying him without receiving anything in return? 

“Okay Defsoul, I don’t want you to panic," the songwriter was looking down, sweat going down his forehead. It was his fault, but he didn't want to get fired from the job of his dreams. "Choi Youngjae wants you to write a song for him,” JYP told him.

“Choi Youngjae as in THE Choi Youngjae?” His boss nodded. What was this sorcery? He thought he was going to get fired and instead he was given the best words that his boss has given to him. “That's amazing! He has a Grammy and I’m honored but why would he even want me to write something for him if he’s the one that writes his own songs? It doesn’t make sense.”

“I don’t get it either but he asked specifically for you, I’m only delivering the message. He wants you to write something, it doesn’t matter what it is. Even if it’s about that cat you’re always talking about. It’s up to you.”

“Woah wait a second but there’s no information! I need something more specific! I want him to really like this song.”

“You’re the #1 songwriter in the country, you’ll figure it out. He wants to meet you tomorrow at 10, to discuss everything.”

“But I didn’t even say yes!”

“Why would you say no?” JYP frowned. “Look, just meet him and talk to him, I’ve heard he’s nice so whatever is wrong with you not accepting this offer, you can discuss it with him.”

And with that, he left.

Jaebeom was laying on his bed thinking the same questions over and over again _‘What am I going to say to Youngjae? That I can’t write songs anymore? That I’m a failure and he’s wasting his time?’ _  
Suddenly a pair of eyes looked at him. It’s been a while since he had time to be with Nora, every time him being in the studio recording 24/7. At least Mark was there to help him feed and take care of her.  
The cat approached him and lay next to him, having missed the company of her owner. Jaebeom started petting her and thought of writing a song of how he missed being with her (which would change the lyrics from your paws to your fingers) but the only lyrics that came out were _‘Smelly cat, smelly cat, what is Mark feeding you?’ _  
“I’m so sorry sweety, I should have taken care of you better.” The cat meowled like she was actually understanding him telling him that it was okay.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

There were only 5 minutes left until Choi Youngjae would go into that meeting room. Dark circles of not having enough sleep were prominent on Jaebeom’s face. He still wasn’t sure of what to expect of this meeting and neither was his explanation of denying the offer. An offer of a lifetime and he was going to deny it because according to him he was a failure.

The door opened and a ray of sunshine came into the room smiling like it was the best day ever.

“Hi, Defsoul! It’s so nice to meet you! I’m a big fan of yours!” He took Jaebeom’s hands and shook them like there was no tomorrow.

“The pleasure is mine, it’s such an honor that an artist like you wants me to write a song for him.”

“Why wouldn’t I? You’re the most talented songwriter the country has! Well, not the country but the world! I can’t wait to work with you hyung! Can I call you hyung? I feel like we’re already close.” The younger started giggling like a teenage girl.

“Yes, about that...” Jaebeom stopped talking. Would he really decline the offer? It was the biggest opportunity that life has ever given him and yet he didn’t want it, or did he? “I would love to work with you, but there’s a problem. I can’t write anymore.”

Youngjae frowned. “What do you mean you can’t write?”

“It’s been some months since the last time that I wrote something... Let’s say I have a writer’s block that hasn’t recovered. And I don’t want you to sing something that doesn’t have feeling into it.”

“Okay, so that was it?”

“Yes...” Jaebeom wanted to cry, all these years without seeing the sun, locked in the studio, working all the time… and now the actual sunshine was here to give him what he had always wanted, for him to decline it.

“I thought it was something worst. Thank God.” The singer sighed and Jaebeom was speechless. “It’s okay, take the time you need to write the song! You don’t have a deadline or anything, I can wait! I’ve always wanted to sing something from you so I don’t mind waiting. Even if I’m not famous anymore, I’d still want you to write that song for me! I told you at the beginning, I’m a big fan of yours and the only thing that I want is for you to write me a song.”

Jaebeom hugged him. For once someone actually wanted him to write a song because he liked them and not because they wanted it to become the next #1 on the charts. He felt like he did something good for once. He didn’t feel his wet face at first, but did when Youngjae worriedly told him “Hyung, don’t cry!!!!! You can take all the time you want, it’s okay.”

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“He told you to have your time writing his song, that’s good, right? Why aren’t you happy? Mark asked him not understanding Jaebeom’s struggle.

“Because! What if I can’t write any more songs? What if it’s the end? I don’t want to disappoint him for believing in me.”

“The end of what? Come on man, you’re exaggerating.”

“I am not!” Jaebeom shouted out of his frustration. “You don’t understand it but there’s something inside me that doesn’t let me write any songs. Like a demon blocking all the ideas that I’ve had before.”

“Then let the demon free.”

“You say everything as it was that easy... I don’t even know why this said demon came in the first place.”

“That’s because you’re stuck.”

“Oh genius, like I didn’t know that already.” Jaebeom rolled his eyes.

“Can you shut up? I’m saying that you’re stuck, yes, but stuck here. You’re always making the same routine, work, work, work, home, Nora and restart the cycle. You have to change the scenarios where you are right now for you to change your vision and maybe, said demon will leave.”

“I went back home for a couple of weeks and that didn’t work out, believe me, I already thought about it.”

“I’m not talking about going to your hometown. I’m talking about something big! You should open horizons in another country, buy a one-way ticket, stay as long as you have to, and if you see that you’re still stuck, then you can think about other things you can do in the future; but in the meantime, why don’t you try it? It’ll give you a new perspective and it might help you.”

Mark was a quiet person but what he sometimes said, made sense.

“Okay, but where should I go?”

“I gave you the idea, now the choice is yours to make. Is there a place that you’ve always wanted to visit? And don’t say LA or New York, you’re always there and it won’t help you.”

“Maybe Europe?”

“We can start there. Only now you have to choose between 44 countries.”

“You’re not being helpful!” Jaebeom growled. How could he make a decision in only a few seconds? If he was going to be away for such a long time, he had to study the perks and disadvantages of each country.

“Says who? You? The one that doesn’t know how to make decisions?” Mark laughed when the other hit him, making the book that was on the sofa fall, which Mark picked up. “Okay, let’s make it easy. Let’s focus on books. What are you reading right now?

“I’m rereading 1984 by George Orwell. I really like his vision on this book; how the big brother controls everyone’s movement-“

Mark shushed him. “I’ve only asked what you were reading! Since you said you’re rereading it that means you like that author right?” The songwriter nodded. “Did he write any other books?” Jaebeom nodded again. “Do any of these books take place in Europe?” He nodded again. “That’s it, you’re going there!”  
And with that, the decision was made.

Jaebeom still couldn’t believe what he was doing while looking at the window of the plane. Leaving everything behind, leaving his Nora behind with Mark to see if he could return to who he was before. Mark was right, maybe changing perspectives would help him, or maybe not, but it was worth trying after all those dry months without writing any song. It wasn’t like he was going to stay for more than a month, or even two weeks.  
He looked at the book he had in his hands; the book that made him decide his destination. He hoped Mark was right and this would change his position.

He didn’t sleep that much in the plane that was why when he landed he was very tired. It was only yesterday when he decided to buy the flight ticket, not having time to book anything at all expect the flight ticket. He didn’t even book accommodation but he’d find one soon enough, it was a touristic place after all. What he didn’t expect when he crossed the arrivals door of the airport was seeing something written in Korean. Actually, it was his name in Korean. And there was a boy who was actually holding the said paper. Was he a fan? How did he know that he was going to be there? Maybe he had fansites and he didn’t know… Jaebeom approached him out of curiosity.

“Hello?” He asked him still not understanding how he knew he was going to be there?

“Jaebeom-ssi?” The newly arrived man nodded. “Hello and welcome to Barcelona! I’m Park Jinyoung and Mark hyung told me to take care of you and to be your tour guide so I hope you enjoy the city! Now follow me, the car is waiting for us. ” He said as he took Jaebeom’s suitcase and went to the parking lot of the airport.

“We’ll see about that...” Jaebeom murmured. _‘I just wanted some peaceful weeks… Mark what did you do?’ _

**Author's Note:**

> Hi~~  
First of all, I want to apologize if there are any mistakes because English is not my first language. I have to say that for the title since I have 0 imagination I took Phum Viphurit's song and added city lmao I'm such a loser, but yes, if it reminds you of the song, it's because of THAT.
> 
> In case you've read everything, I'm thankful that you did and I hope you've enjoyed it ♡ I'll try to make the next chapters longer, this was only introductory sorry!
> 
> PS. I know George Orwell has written books located in Paris and London, but I chose this concrete city for a reason :)


End file.
